Multi-feature cleaning apparatus for a supporting or restraining member

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure generally relates to a portable, daily-use cleaning product. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus, device, or structural system that is adapted to clean or disinfect a restraining member, such as a seatbelt in a car or a restraining belt of an airplane seat or train, or a supporting member, such as a support bar in a subway car or metro bus, and other suitable examples.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to a portable, daily-usecleaning product. More specifically, the present disclosure relates toan apparatus, device, or structural system that is adapted to clean ordisinfect a restraining member, such as a seatbelt in a car or arestraining belt of an airplane seat or train, or a supporting member,such as a support bar in a subway car or metro bus, and other suitableexamples.

BACKGROUND

Restraining members, such as a seatbelt in a car, and supportingmembers, such as support bars in a subway car, are used frequently everyday. For example, every time a driver enters a rental vehicle, thatdriver must secure himself or herself with a seatbelt. The driver musttouch the seatbelt to pull the seatbelt to the secured buckle. Frequenthandling of seatbelts, however, can cause dirt, grease, dust, viruses,and bacteria to collect on the surface of the seatbelt; especially in arental car, which is driven by many different drivers over time.Similarly, riders on a metro bus or a subway car often need to hold asupporting bar to stand stably while the bus or subway car is in motion.The frequent handling of the support bar can also leave dirt, grease,dust, viruses, and bacteria, for example, which can potentially causeharm to the riders; especially during flu season.

SUMMARY

The term embodiment and like terms are intended to refer broadly to allof the subject matter of this disclosure and the claims below.Statements containing these terms should be understood not to limit thesubject matter described herein or to limit the meaning or scope of theclaims below. Embodiments of the present disclosure covered herein aredefined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is ahigh-level overview of various aspects of the disclosure and introducessome of the concepts that are further described in the DetailedDescription section below. This summary is not intended to identify keyor essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intendedto be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. The subject matter should be understood by reference toappropriate portions of the entire specification of this disclosure, anyor all drawings and each claim.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure solve the above-describedproblems by providing a portable, daily-use cleaning apparatus, device,or structural system that can easily be carried around by users. In someimplementations, the cleaning apparatus, device, or structural systemcan be adapted to include an upper body and a lower body. The upper bodymay be an elongated member with at least one substantially flat surface.The elongated member may or may not be adapted with a cavity portion. Acleaning portion may be secured to the substantially flat surface of theupper body. For example, the cleaning portion may include bristles of abrush, tower fibers, a microfiber material that is soaked in adisinfecting substance (e.g., a bleach composition), or any othersuitable cleaning substance or material. Similarly, the lower body ofthe cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system may be an elongatedmember with at least one substantially flat surface. The elongatedmember may or may not be adapted with a cavity portion. A cleaningportion may also be secured to the substantially flat surface of thelower body. For example, just as with the cleaning portion of the upperbody, the cleaning portion of the lower body may include bristles of abrush, tower fibers, a microfiber material that is soaked in adisinfecting substance, or any other suitable cleaning substance ormaterial. It will be appreciated that the examples of cleaningsubstances or materials provided herein are not limited, and thus, anycleaning substance or material can be used as the cleaning portion ofthe upper body or the lower body of the cleaning apparatus. It will alsobe appreciated that the cleaning portion of the upper body may bedifferent from the cleaning portion of the lower body. It will also beappreciated that the upper body and the lower body may be any shape (ormay be different shapes from each other), and thus, the presentdisclosure is not limited to a flat or substantially flat body.

The upper body and the lower body may be connected to each other. Insome implementations, one end of the upper body may be connected to oneend of the lower body. As a non-limiting example, a spring device (e.g.,a spring) may be used to connect the one end of the upper body to theone end of the lower body, such that a certain amount of tension isconstantly provided to each substantially flat surface of the upper bodyand the lower body to maintain an opening between the upper body and thelower body. Further, if pressure is applied to each of the other end ofthe upper body and the other end of the lower body (e.g., by pinchingthe ends of the upper body and the lower body using a user's thumb andindex finger), then the opening between the upper body and the lowerbody may be reduced (e.g., to eliminate the opening between the upperbody and the lower body). Upon removing the pressure (e.g., by removingthe user pressure imposed by the user's thumb and index finger), thespring device may be released back to an original formation ororientation, thereby creating the opening between the upper body and thelower body. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is notlimited to a spring device connecting the upper body and the lower body,and thus, any connecting member (e.g., a swiveling axis with two metalplates) may be adapted to connect one end of the upper body to one endof the lower body. In some implementations, there may be no connectingmember, or the connecting member may not be adapted to release back tothe original formation or orientation once pressure is released. In thecase of the connecting member, a natural pressure may not need to beapplied to create the opening between the upper body and the lower body.The opening may naturally be created when the connecting member swivels,such that the end of the upper body that is not connected to the end ofthe lower body swivel away from each other along the axis created by theconnecting member. In some implementations, one end of the upper bodymay be connected to the lower body and the other end of the upper bodymay also be connected to the other end of the lower body. In someimplementations, the upper body may not be connected to any end of thelower body, and thus, both the upper and lower body may be independentmembers that are brought together by the user.

The cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system as described above(e.g., with a flat or substantially flat surface) may be operated by auser to clean or disinfect any surface. To illustrate and only as anon-limiting example, the user may place the belt within the openingbetween the upper body and the lower body. The user may then place athumb at one end of the lower body and an index finger at one end of theupper body and apply pressure between the thumb and the index finger.The pressure applied causes the opening between the upper body and thelower body to be eliminated, such that the cleaning portion of the upperbody and the cleaning portion of the lower body make contact with theseatbelt. The user may then maintain the pressure and move the closedcleaning apparatus, device, or structural system along the length of theseatbelt. In doing so, as the cleaning apparatus, device, or structuralsystem is moved up and down along the length of the seatbelt, thecleaning portions of the upper body and the lower body continue to makecontact with the seatbelt, and thus, perform a cleaning function on theseatbelt. In some implementations, when the user applies pressure to theends of the upper body and the lower body to eliminate the opening(e.g., which causes the cleaning portions of the upper body and thelower body to make contact with the seatbelt), the ends of the upperbody and the lower body (e.g., on which the pressure is applied) may beconnectable using a hooking mechanism (e.g., by a hook or a connector,such as Velcro). If the ends of the upper body and the lower body onwhich the pressure is applied are connected using the hooking mechanism,then the user does not need to maintain the pressure on the ends of theupper body and the lower body in order to keep the cleaning portions ofthe upper body and lower body in contact with the seatbelt as the usermoves the cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system along thelength of the seatbelt.

In some implementations, instead of each of the upper body and the lowerbody being adapted with at least one substantially flat surface on whichthe cleaning portion is incorporated, each of the upper body and thelower body may be adapted to include a curved surface. The cleaningportion may be incorporated or embedded into the curved surface (e.g.,in a “U” shape). In these embodiments, the opening between the upperbody and the lower body may be eliminated in a similar manner asdescribed above (e.g., when the user physically brings both the upperbody and the lower body together), however, instead of surrounding aseatbelt, the curved surfaces of the upper body and the lower bodyenable the cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system to surrounda bar (e.g., a cylindrical bar common in subway cars to provide supportto riders holding the bar). When the cleaning apparatus, device, orstructural system surround the bar, the user may similarly move thecleaning apparatus, device, or structural system along the axial lengthof the bar, so that the cleaning portions of the upper body and thelower body make continued contact with the bar to perform the cleaningfunction.

The cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system can be made of alightweight and durable material, such as certain plastics, wood, ormetal. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, andthus, the cleaning apparatus, device, or structural system may becomprised of any suitable material. As an advantage, the cleaningapparatus, device, or structural system is portable and can be useddaily by a user to keep certain surfaces clean (e.g., a seatbeltsurface) before the user makes contact with the surfaces, therebysolving the challenges described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The specification makes reference to the following appended figures, inwhich use of like reference numerals in different figures is intended toillustrate like or analogous components.

FIGS. 1A-1E illustrate different angles of a cleaning apparatus,according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a view of a cleaning apparatus, according to certain aspectsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a view of a user operating a cleaning apparatus, according tocertain aspects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Surfaces, such as the surface of a seatbelt or support bar of a subwaycar, are often handled by many individuals. As a result, these surfacescan collect dirt, viruses, and bacteria, potentially causing harm tothose who touch or otherwise handle the surfaces. Certain aspects andfeatures of the present disclosure relate to a cleaning apparatus,device, or structural system adapted to clean surfaces of a supportmember (e.g., a support bar of a subway car) or a restraint member(e.g., a seatbelt). As described herein, certain aspects and features ofthe present disclosure relate to a cleaning apparatus that is adapted tobe clamped over a seatbelt or support bar to perform a cleaningfunction. In some implementations, the cleaning apparatus may have anupper body and a lower body that are adapted to surround a seatbelt orsupport bar. The upper body and the lower body may have at least oneflat or substantially flat surface. The flat or substantially flatsurface of each of the upper body and lower body may be adapted toinclude (e.g., by embedding or otherwise physically incorporating) acleaning portion. The cleaning portion can be any substance or materialthat, when pressed against a surface, causes a cleaning function to beperformed on the surface. To illustrate and only as a non-limitingexample, the cleaning portion may be a brush that is adapted to fitwithin the substantially flat surface of the upper body (and similarlyof the lower body). When the cleaning apparatus is closed (e.g., whenpressure is applied to ends of the upper and lower bodies to close thecleaning apparatus, so that the cleaning potion on each of the upper andlower bodies makes contact with the seatbelt), the pressure caused bythe cleaning portion making contact with the seatbelt may clean theseatbelt of any dirt, grease, or bacteria. The user may move the closedcleaning apparatus along the length of the seatbelt to perform cleaningon the seatbelt. When the cleaning apparatus is closed, a hookingmechanism may keep the cleaning apparatus closed until the user unhooksor unlatches the hooking mechanism.

These illustrative examples are given to introduce the reader to thegeneral subject matter discussed here and are not intended to limit thescope of the disclosed concepts. The following sections describe variousadditional features and examples with reference to the drawings in whichlike numerals indicate like elements, and directional descriptions areused to describe the illustrative embodiments but, like the illustrativeembodiments, should not be used to limit the present disclosure. Theelements included in the illustrations herein may not be drawn to scale.

FIGS. 1A-1E illustrate different angles of a cleaning apparatus 100,according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 1Aillustrates view 100A of the cleaning apparatus 100. The cleaningapparatus 100 may be a manufactured product that is lightweight anddurable for daily use. For example, the cleaning apparatus 100 may bemade of any combination of plastic (e.g., plastic used forinjection-molded products), wood, glass, metal, or any other suitablematerial that is durable. The cleaning apparatus 100 may be manufacturedusing any suitable manufacturing technique, including three-dimensional(3D) printing.

The cleaning apparatus 100 may be adapted to include an upper body 110and a lower body 120. While the upper body 110 and the lower body 120are adapted to have the same shape in FIG. 1A, the present disclosure isnot limited thereto. It will be appreciated that the upper body 110 andlower body 120 may have different shapes. The upper body 110 and thelower body may be connected at connection member 130. Connection member130 may be a device, such as a spring, that is coupled to each of theupper body 110 and the lower body 120. Connection member 130 may beadapted to continuously apply pressure to the upper body 110 and thelower body 120 to keep the upper body 110 and the lower body 120separated by an opening. As an illustrative example, a user may applypressure at end 180 of upper body 110 and end 180 of lower body 120 toclose the cleaning apparatus 100 over a surface, such as a seatbelt. Thepressure applied by the user counteracts the continuous pressure appliedby the connection member 130. Non-limiting examples of the connectionmember may include a spring, a piece of plastic that is in a “U” or “V”shape, or any other suitable mechanism that can continuously applypressure to keep the upper body 110 apart from the lower body 120. Insome implementations, the upper body 110 and the lower body 120 may bemanufactured as a single piece, such that there is no separateconnection member.

One or more of the upper body 110 or the lower body 120 may have atleast one substantially flat surface. Cleaning portion 140 may beaffixed to the flat surface of the lower body 120 and cleaning portion150 may be affixed to the flat surface of the upper body 110. In someimplementations, cleaning portions 140 and 150 may be the same cleaningsubstance or material. In other implementations, cleaning portion 140may be comprised of a cleaning substance or material that is differentfrom the cleaning substance or material that comprises cleaning portion150. Non-limiting examples of the cleaning substance or material ofcleaning portions 140 or 150 include microfiber fabric, a brush, afabric soaked in a disinfectant solution, a disposable cleaning wipe,and any other suitable cleaning substance or material that can beaffixed to the substantially flat surface of the upper body 110 andlower body 120.

Grip portions 160 and 170 may be a material added onto the cleaningapparatus 100 or engraved into the outside surface of the cleaningapparatus 100. Grip portions 160 and 170 may serve to enhance the gripexperienced by a user handling the cleaning apparatus 100. While FIG. 1Aillustrates grip portions 160 and 170 as semi-spherical shapes, it willbe appreciated that grip portions 160 and 170 can be any shape, design,or pattern that enhances the grip of a user handling the cleaningapparatus 100.

A user may apply pressure on ends 180 of the upper body 110 and thelower body 120 to close the opening between substantially flat surfacesof each of the upper body 110 and the lower body 120. As the userapplies pressure to ends 180, the cleaning portions 140 and 150 may makecontact with a seatbelt, for example, to clean the surface of theseatbelt.

FIG. 1B illustrates the cleaning apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A,but viewed from angle 100B. FIG. 1C illustrates the cleaning apparatus100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, but viewed from angle 100C. In FIG. 1C, theconnection member 130 may be adapted to connect end 190 of upper body110 and end 190 of lower body 120, so that the upper body 110 and thelower body 120 can rotate along an axis created by the connection member130. FIGS. 1D and 1E each illustrate different angles 100D and 100E ofthe cleaning apparatus 100, respectively. Further, FIGS. 1D and 1Eillustrate an example of grip portions 160 and 170.

FIG. 2 is a view of a cleaning apparatus 200, according to certainaspects of the present disclosure. Cleaning apparatus 200 is the same ascleaning apparatus 100, except that instead of a flat or substantiallyflat portion on which the cleaning portion is affixed, there is a curvedportion 210 in each of upper body 110 and lower body 120, so that thecleaning apparatus 200 can surround a support bar, such as a support barwithin a subway car.

FIG. 3 is a view of a user operating a cleaning apparatus, according tocertain aspects. In FIG. 3, user 300 may be seated in a car. Seatbelt310 may be secured across the body of user 300. Cleaning apparatus 100may be clamped around the seatbelt. User 300 may move the clampedcleaning apparatus 100 up and down along the length of the seatbelt toclean the surface of the seatbelt with the cleaning portions of thecleaning apparatus 100.

The foregoing description of the embodiments, including illustratedembodiments, has been presented only for the purpose of illustration anddescription and is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to theprecise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and usesthereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cleaning structural system, comprising: anupper body having a first elongated shape, the first elongated shapehaving a first end and a second end, and the first end of the firstelongated shape being disposed opposite of the second end of the firstelongated shape; a lower body having a second elongated shape, thesecond elongated shape having a first end and a second end, and thefirst end of the second elongated shape being disposed opposite of thesecond end of the second elongated shape; a first cleaning portioncoupled to an edge of the upper body, the first cleaning portion beingadapted to clean a surface using a first cleaning substance or material;a second cleaning portion coupled to an edge of the lower body, thesecond cleaning portion being adapted to clean the surface using asecond cleaning substance or material; and a connection member adaptedto movably connect the first end of the upper body to the first end ofthe lower body, wherein an opening is created by the first end of theupper body being movably connected to the first end of the lower body,and wherein the opening is adapted to receive a support member or arestraint member.
 2. The cleaning structural system of claim 1, whereinthe connection member is adapted to rotatably move the upper body andthe lower body along an axis, wherein when each of the second end of theupper body and the second end of the lower body receive pressure, theupper body and the lower body rotatably move towards each other alongthe axis to eliminate the opening.
 3. The cleaning structural system ofclaim 2, wherein the opening receives the support member or therestraint member, and wherein when the opening is eliminated by themovement of each of the upper body and the lower body towards eachother, each of the first cleaning portion and the second cleaningportion makes contact with the support member or the restraint member toperform a cleaning operation.
 4. The cleaning structural system of claim1, wherein the first cleaning portion or the second cleaning portion iscomprised of a microfiber material.
 5. The cleaning structural system ofclaim 4, wherein the microfiber material is soaked in a disinfectantsolution.
 6. The structural cleaning system of claim 1, wherein thefirst cleaning portion or the second cleaning portion is comprised of aplurality of bristles.
 7. The structural cleaning system of claim 1,further comprising: a hooking mechanism disposed on the second end ofthe upper body and the second end of the lower body, wherein the hookingmechanism is adapted to connect the second end of the upper body and thesecond end of the lower body.
 8. A cleaning apparatus, comprising: anupper body having a first elongated shape, the first elongated shapehaving a first end and a second end, and the first end of the firstelongated shape being disposed opposite of the second end of the firstelongated shape; a lower body having a second elongated shape, thesecond elongated shape having a first end and a second end, and thefirst end of the second elongated shape being disposed opposite of thesecond end of the second elongated shape; a first cleaning portioncoupled to an edge of the upper body, the first cleaning portion beingadapted to clean a surface using a first cleaning substance or material;a second cleaning portion coupled to an edge of the lower body, thesecond cleaning portion being adapted to clean the surface using asecond cleaning substance or material; and a connection member adaptedto movably connect the first end of the upper body to the first end ofthe lower body, wherein an opening is created by the first end of theupper body being movably connected to the first end of the lower body,and wherein the opening is adapted to receive a support member or arestraint member.
 9. The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein theconnection member is adapted to rotatably move the upper body and thelower body along an axis, wherein when each of the second end of theupper body and the second end of the lower body receive pressure, theupper body and the lower body rotatably move towards each other alongthe axis to eliminate the opening.
 10. The cleaning apparatus of claim9, wherein the opening receives the support member or the restraintmember, and wherein when the opening is eliminated by the movement ofeach of the upper body and the lower body towards each other, each ofthe first cleaning portion and the second cleaning portion makes contactwith the support member or the restraint member to perform a cleaningoperation.
 11. The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the firstcleaning portion or the second cleaning portion is comprised of amicrofiber material.
 12. The cleaning apparatus of claim 11, wherein themicrofiber material is soaked in a disinfectant solution.
 13. Thecleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first cleaning portion or thesecond cleaning portion is comprised of a plurality of bristles.
 14. Thecleaning apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a hooking mechanismdisposed on the second end of the upper body and the second end of thelower body, wherein the hooking mechanism is adapted to connect thesecond end of the upper body and the second end of the lower body.
 15. Aportable, daily-use cleaning device for cleaning support members orrestraint members, comprising: an upper body having a first elongatedshape, the first elongated shape having a first end and a second end,and the first end of the first elongated shape being disposed oppositeof the second end of the first elongated shape; a lower body having asecond elongated shape, the second elongated shape having a first endand a second end, and the first end of the second elongated shape beingdisposed opposite of the second end of the second elongated shape; afirst cleaning portion coupled to an edge of the upper body, the firstcleaning portion being adapted to clean a surface using a first cleaningsubstance or material; a second cleaning portion coupled to an edge ofthe lower body, the second cleaning portion being adapted to clean thesurface using a second cleaning substance or material; and a connectionmember adapted to movably connect the first end of the upper body to thefirst end of the lower body, wherein an opening is created by the firstend of the upper body being movably connected to the first end of thelower body, and wherein the opening is adapted to receive a supportmember or a restraint member.
 16. The portable, daily-use cleaningdevice of claim 15, wherein the connection member is adapted torotatably move the upper body and the lower body along an axis, whereinwhen each of the second end of the upper body and the second end of thelower body receive pressure, the upper body and the lower body rotatablymove towards each other along the axis to eliminate the opening.
 17. Theportable, daily-use cleaning device of claim 16, wherein the openingreceives the support member or the restraint member, and wherein whenthe opening is eliminated by the movement of each of the upper body andthe lower body towards each other, each of the first cleaning portionand the second cleaning portion makes contact with the support member orthe restraint member to perform a cleaning operation.
 18. The portable,daily-use cleaning device of claim 15, wherein the first cleaningportion or the second cleaning portion is comprised of a microfibermaterial.
 19. The portable, daily-use cleaning device of claim 18,wherein the microfiber material is soaked in a disinfectant solution.20. The portable, daily-use cleaning device of claim 15, wherein thefirst cleaning portion or the second cleaning portion is comprised of aplurality of bristles.